ITSM 22

Chapter 22

To highlight that interest, I gestured toward the documents Bael was reviewing and said,

“The documents you’re looking at will be easier to check next time if you organize them into a proper format.”

I explained that messy numbers become much easier to understand when visualized with charts. When I’d done similar work elsewhere, people had praised me as if it were revolutionary, so I was sure Bael would react similarly.

Sure enough, Bael’s eyes sparkled.

“I didn’t know you wanted to work like this, Liliana.”

I shrugged.

“I came here to work, and it felt a bit awkward not actually doing anything.”
“If you insist, may I ask you to check something related to internal affairs? It shouldn’t be difficult.”

A fairly satisfactory response.

Basago, who had been listening to our conversation, scrunched his face up.

“People obsessed with work.”

I lightly ignored his remark and turned to Bael.

“Could you make a seat next to you for me?”
“I could prepare another room for you to work in…”

Bael took off his glasses as if my suggestion didn’t appeal to him. Was he trying to use his ability on me again?

No way.

Avoiding Bael’s pink eyes, I continued.

“Wouldn’t it be more efficient to exchange documents quickly here?”

After a short while, Bael exhaled sharply and replied.

“Understood. I’ll make the preparations. By the way, it seems you haven’t had breakfast. How about going to the dining hall and starting work in the afternoon?”
“Sounds good.”
“And Basago will stay behind.”

Bael’s gaze, somehow filled with lethal intent, made Basago flinch.

Noticing his pupils trembling, I let out a short sigh.

“Bael, could I go to the dining hall with Basago? He’s the one I’ve spoken with the most in Winsphere.”
“Ah, if you insist, Liliana, I suppose it can’t be helped.”

He averted his gaze from Basago and nodded.

I opened Bael’s office door and called to Basago, who had frozen in place.

“Not coming?”
“I-I’m coming!”

On the way to the dining hall, Basago returned to his usual cocky attitude, as if his earlier behavior in Bael’s office had been a mistake.

“Do you have some disease that kills you if you don’t work?”

He shoved his hands into his pockets and muttered beside me, making a lot of noise.

“Bael and you… why do you all work so much?”
“Basago.”

I lowered my voice as I called him.

Though my voice was naturally thin and not threatening at all, it was clearly enough to scare Basago, who clearly had something to be ashamed of.

“Going back to Bael?”
“Come on, hurry up. What are you doing standing there? You must be hungry.”

At my words, Basago gave an awkward smile and quickly opened the dining hall door.

As we entered, we saw Shion already eating. He pulled out a chair for me and spoke kindly.

“Liliana, please sit here.”
“Thank you.”

As we sat, Basago slid the chair next to me and sat down. Soon, warm food was placed in front of both of us.

Seeing this, Shion frowned and asked,

“Basago, did you do something wrong?”
“Me? What?”
“You said you hate sitting next to anyone.”
“Well, some days are like this.”
“…Don’t tell me…”

I heard Basago swallow hard. His tension even reached me.

‘I didn’t do anything, so why is he acting like this?!’

Even if I tried to help, Basago was making it obvious with his whole body.

‘Why even assign errands to someone like this?’

It was helpful to satisfy my curiosity, but I felt the scale of what was happening was only growing.

After a brief silence, Shion stammered,

“You… don’t like Liliana, do you?”

Relief from tension was immediately replaced with irritation. Basago didn’t seem much different.

“Are you crazy?”
“Goodness, Shion…”

Both of us spoke in astonishment, and he hurriedly apologized.

“My apologies.”

Seeing Basago’s face twisted up, I realized I probably looked the same.

Just as my appetite vanished, Shion asked in a friendly tone,

“Liliana, is there any food you like?”
“Food? I eat anything.”
“I told him to feed you something good…”

Shion muttered quietly.

Hearing that, Basago grumbled.

“Why bother giving fancy food? Just give her anything.”
“Basago, want to go outside?”

At Shion’s words, Basago shivered violently and looked horrified. He muttered gloomily that Shion only did that to him.

What’s the use of having a high demon rank? Just a little smarter than him, and he shrinks like that.

Who would see Basago’s behavior and think he’s a demon over hundreds of years old?

I shook my head and focused on the food in front of me.

‘Mmm! Delicious.’

It felt unusual not having Roan offering me things by my side.

‘I’ll get used to it soon enough.’

I gripped my spoon tightly and ate energetically, filling my ears with the chatter of Basago and Shion beside me.

When I entered Bael’s workspace, a desk was set up at a distance from his.

“You can work over there.”

The distance was actually good. Even in the same space, being far enough not to be conscious of each other helped focus.

“What should I do first?”
“Start with this. Everything you need is organized in this booklet. Work based on it.”

Bael handed me thick folders and a booklet. Reviewing them, I could see his usual meticulous work style.

“What if I have questions or there’s something missing?”
“Come and ask me. It’s better to ask in the morning, as I’ll be away in the afternoon.”
“Understood.”
“And if you want to rest, you can leave anytime.”

I scratched my head at Bael’s words. Usually, I didn’t move much until I finished a task.

I thought about showing that I wouldn’t mind working through the night, but decided to just demonstrate through my actions.

Determined to make up for my past leisure, I clenched my fist.

“Thank you for your consideration, Bael.”

After a short nod, I sat and began my work.

Although I was worried after such a long break, the work turned out easier than expected.

I quickly focused and increased my speed in reviewing the documents.

Bael watched Liliana from afar and grew pensive.

He had been persuaded to assign her work, but the King hadn’t wanted Liliana to handle tasks.

On top of that, Basago’s strangely irksome behavior.

When he was told to deliver the message that the King couldn’t come for a while, he clung to Liliana as if he had done something wrong.

He couldn’t manipulate Basago, who knew his abilities, so he tried to provoke Liliana a little, but it didn’t work.

It matched what Basago had said before:

‘I don’t feel any real power.’

Before Roan became King, he had once been a king among demons.

It wasn’t that he had weakened. That meant Liliana had some kind of ability that Bael couldn’t understand.

‘The King seems to know why.’

Bael tapped the table thoughtfully.

‘It doesn’t seem Shion’s magic is ineffective.’

During breakfast, Basago accidentally knocked over a cup on her, and Shion used magic to prevent it from spilling on Liliana.

‘What’s the difference?’

Perhaps because Shion has human blood?

He rose to his rank through his intellect and innate magic, not a unique ability like other demons.

Other than that, there wasn’t much difference from him or Basago…

Bael tilted his head, lost in thought as he remembered Liliana. Watching Basago tiptoe around her was still puzzling.

‘Basago isn’t the type to watch others.’

Moreover, humans supposedly liked leisure. Liliana, unlike them, asked for work, even though some wish to be rich and idle.

“This is strange.”